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Thursday, November 29, 2018

Coming in threes

We survived Thursday, or just about have at any rate. Andrew's on his way home from Georgia and Grandpa's on the way to the airport to pick him up. Miriam got to organ class. I attended all three SEPs (student educational plans (or something like that)) for my school kids with my preschool kids in tow. I also met with a member of the bishopric.

I was so worried they were going to give me another calling (I have two) but when I got there they flooded me with questions about how we are doing and how they can support us more and that took up a good ten minutes or so. So I thought, "Phew! This was just a checking-in-with-y'all meeting!"

"I want to let you get back to your family," he said and I almost stood up to leave, but before I could he slipped in, "But before you go I wanted to extend another calling to you."

And I was like, "Oh..."

I tried to explain that my Wednesdays next semester are going to be rather busy since that's the night Andrew will have an evening class. But everything I said slid right off of that man like he'd been coated with Teflon.

6 comments:

Ack! No! Get yourself released from something. I fully believe that there is nothing wrong with asking to be released or saying no when something isn’t right for you/your family. Yes, some callings are out of inspiration, some from desperation. Three callings is too many! Or not. Your call. :)

No. I wish! Haha! But then they would have had to release me for sure because it would conflict with my other Sunday calling (RS teacher).

I ended up telling them that the sort of commitment they wanted from me would not work well for my family the coming semester (since it's a weekday calling, on a day that Andrew works late (as in, he gets home around midnight) so I'd have to drag my little kids along with me (which would be tricky considering what I was being asked to do) and our family is feeling a little overwhelmed right now anyway).

I didn't outright say no, I guess. I simply gave them more information than they had before and told them how I was feeling about it and...they didn't sustain me today. So...I guess they decided my input was pertinent.

This is very tricky for Canadians. In Canada, we are less forthright in our speech. We have a hard time in communicating with Americans because of that. What Nancy said to him in the first place would have been understood as "No" to a Canadian bishop.

Sounds like it may have worked out! I wouldn't have been able to outright say no either. Probably something like "I don't think that would work." or "Will I be released from ___." Three callings is too much for anyone!